How to Get Rid of Scratches on Hardwood Floor

Nothing looks greater than a hardwood floor with a fantastic shine on it. When scratches mar that shine, it can be frustrating. However, there is help. Here are some tips for getting rid of scratches on hardwood floors.

Surface Scratches

Surface scratches are just what their name describes: Scratches that are only in the top layer of the wood. While the scratch is visible, it is not deep or overly noticeable. A paste wax can be used to hide scratches. It is available in clear, honey, or brown to blend with most wood floors. Rub the wax into the scratch. Polish the area with a soft cloth and clean gently with your usual cleaner.

Deep Scratches and Gouges

Sometimes the scratch in the wood is deep enough that you need more than some coloring to camouflage it, and the wax from a crayon simply will not do the job. When this happens, you will need to gather some tools including steel wool, sandpaper, mineral spirits, premixed wood filler, a putty knife and varnish that matches the stain on your floors.

Begin by cleaning the area thoroughly. The area with the scratch should be cleaned first with steel wool and then with 180 grit sand paper. Mineral spirits should be poured on a small rag and used to clean all dust out of the scratch and from the surrounding area. The wood filler can then be used to fill the scratch, bringing the level even with the level of the floor. 320 grit sandpaper can then be used to very lightly and carefully smooth the patch. Finally, use the matching varnish to lightly stain the patch.

Some scratches require only light sanding. In this case, you can spot sand the floor. Use a quality painter’s tape to mask off the affected area. Gently sand the entire area by hand until the scratches are satisfactorily removed. Following the method above, reapply the stain. After another very light sanding, you can apply the final coat of finish.

The method you choose will depend largely on how deep the scratch is. The simplest repair methods use the paste wax. However, not all scratches can be repaired in this manner. When the scratch is too deep for these methods, the wood filler will work effectively to get rid of scratches in your wood floors.